


It's a Big, Gay World Out There

by thenewlondoner (muleumpyo)



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Artist Teddy Lupin, Bisexual Male Character, Clubbing, Coming Out, Community: hp_nextgen_fest, Dancing, Drinking, Gay Male Character, Harry Potter Next Generation, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, Post-Hogwarts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-10
Updated: 2016-11-10
Packaged: 2018-08-24 13:15:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,095
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8373571
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/muleumpyo/pseuds/thenewlondoner
Summary: When James comes out, Teddy takes him out. Not like that, though. Really.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you Jess for being an amazing cheerleader and beta for me and this fic! I promise to complain less next time. I loved writing James and Teddy, and I wish I had been better organized and done a longer version but I hope OP likes it!

The proximity charm chimed softly from the corner of the studio, and Teddy looked up at the gold dial clock on the wall. It was nearly 1 in the morning, and he hadn’t been expecting visitors tonight. He paused for a moment, listening for someone’s knock, but there was nothing. He turned back to his drawing, thinking maybe the neighbor’s cat had wandered by the front of his flat again and set off the charm. But then it chimed again, the incessant _ding-ding-ding_ indicating someone was probably up and leaning against the door of his flat.

 

His hands were full of charcoal, so he just shouted, “Yeah?” He knew it would be repeated out by his door as if he was speaking from an intercom.

 

The music coming from the speakers in the corners dimmed, and a voice, clear as if it was from someone standing right next to him, spoke in a low tone. “Hey.” A long pause echoed the silence around the room as Teddy frowned, and then: “Teddy, it’s me.”

 

“James?” Teddy’s hands stilled on the canvas as a thread of unease pulled slowly down his back. He leaned back and let the charcoal in his hands fall into the tray at the bottom of his easel. The thought that James was here, in London, made him uneasy. It was unusual that he wasn’t back at his parents’ house in Godric’s Hollow or at his own flat in Oxford, next to his university. Had something happened? 

 

“Yeah,” James’ voice, uncharacteristically quiet, echoed around the studio. “It’s me.” He let off a large sigh, but didn’t elaborate. 

 

Teddy’s heartbeat thrummed, quick and loud, through his chest as his mind began to whir through possibilities-- all equally alarming. James was rarely this quiet when he came to see Teddy, always grinning one minute or trying to prod Teddy for tidbits about his life. 

 

He hadn’t been this way since he was in school, making trouble everywhere he went and getting into scrapes because of it. But that was years ago, and James had definitely calmed quite a bit since then. He hadn’t had to secretly mend a split lip or a black eye for James in a long time, James too embarrassed to go to his parents or the matron for healing charms. And yet something had to be wrong if he was here, past midnight and alone; it was all just-- slightly-- off.

 

Teddy stood up quickly and started searching around for his wand amongst his tools. Sable paintbrushes and sticks of charcoal spilled onto his drafting table and across some loose sheets of sketch paper. He cursed as he began to gather them up, but they slipped out of his hands and rolled over onto the floor. His wand was nowhere amongst them. “Alright, alright, I’m coming,” he said, mostly to himself, though he knew James could hear him.

 

As Teddy gathered up his pencils and dumped them in various plastic trays-- he’d have to organize them sometime else-- he tried to calm the worry that was beginning to claw at his stomach. Harry wouldn’t have let James wander off on his own if something were truly wrong, despite James now being 23 and fully qualified, so it had to be something-- personal, he supposed. James could mend his own black eyes now, in any case.

 

After finally digging out his wand from amongst a pile of wooden brushes, Teddy muttered a quick cleaning spell for his hands and flicked his wand in the direction of his drawing. He heard the leaves of paper fall over it and cover it with a swish as he stepped back into his living room and closed the door to his studio. It was slightly overwhelming, as always, stepping back through the explosion of color on his walls after spending so long in his monochrome studio. 

 

The proximity spell was still chiming softly in the living room when Teddy crossed it, paused to take a deep breath, and opened the front door. 

 

James Sirius Potter, arms crossed over his chest and auburn hair shielding his eyes from view, was slumped against the wall of his entryway. He looked exhausted, but unharmed overall.

 

Something like relief spread warmly through Teddy’s chest, and he let out a soft huff of breath. Relaxing against the doorway, Teddy shoved his hands into his tattered jeans and just looked at James. When James didn’t say anything, Teddy tilted his head and tried to catch his eye from under his fringe.

 

“You could have just come in, you know, the wards recognize you, Jamie. You’re always welcome.” Teddy tried to keep his tone light but James’ lips dipped down slightly, and when he tilted his head up and met Teddy’s gaze, he wasn't smiling. 

 

Those dark eyes, so unlike both his parents, seemed to look past Teddy for a moment, as if James were focusing on something beyond him. The stark lines of James’ face, so recently having lost their youthful softness, made him appear totally unlike himself and for a moment Teddy felt off-kilter, as if he were looking at someone else entirely.

 

“James?” Teddy asked, voice uncertain. His wand was in his back pocket (no matter what Harry said about lost buttocks), and he was just beginning to think he might need it. “What happened?”

 

Then James’ brows pushed together and he finally seemed to see Teddy in front of him. His expression relaxed and he looked like James again, those dark brows and freckles over his cheeks that Teddy felt like he knew by heart. With a great sigh, James said, “It’s just… Ah, you know?” but he seemed unable to explain himself as he cut himself off and waved uncertainly with one hand. 

 

Teddy had to resist the urge to say, ‘No, I don’t know,’ in a teasing tone, but it didn’t look as if James were up to his usual snark today. He was dressed, not in wizard robes, but casual Muggle attire, jeans and a shirt, the Potter clan signature dress. Without his old Hogwarts robes or Quidditch kit on, he looked older. With a tiny jolt, Teddy realized it had been nearly 6 months since he had last seen James. 

 

“Lemme come inside and sit down, will you, Teddy? I’m fucking knackered,” James said.

 

Teddy waved him inside without a word, closing the door and reinstating the wards around the door as he did so. James headed straight for Teddy’s favorite chair, a plush armchair that was veritably falling apart at the seams, but so comfortable Teddy couldn’t imagine getting rid of it. James threw himself into the chair, long legs over one arm as he pressed his hands to his face and groaned.

 

Teddy raised a dark eyebrow as he headed towards the tiny kitchenette. “Want a lager?” he asked as he opened the fridge and peered through the mess of takeaway boxes and bags of half-used salad greens, wondering if he still had some bottles in there.

 

“No, I’m alright,” James called from his seat. “I don’t even think I can eat anything right now.” He had dropped his hands into his lap and was idly twisting the bottom of his shirt between his fingers.

 

Teddy shrugged and headed back over, putting a glass of water in front of James and popping open a bottle of Ogden’s Fine Brew with a tap of his wand. He threw himself into the-- marginally less comfortable-- couch, took a sip of the beer, and waited. 

 

At least he knew it wasn’t anything serious or life-threatening. James would have said right away if someone were hurt or they needed to head over to St. Mungo’s, and he didn’t seem upset, just-- wrung out. Teddy sighed and took another sip of beer. He knew the best way to get James to talk wasn’t to cajole him or fuss over him endlessly like his Gram did. All the extra attention just seemed to make him surly and then he really wouldn’t speak for days about it. So Teddy just left it. 

 

They just waited in silence as the dial-clock ticked quietly by and the faraway sounds of the London streets crept through the window. It wasn’t until then that Teddy, perpetual night owl though he was, felt exhausted himself. Teddy was just debating whether to light a fire in the grate and get ready for bed when James spoke.

 

“Why weren’t you at dinner tonight, Teddy?” James asked, tilting his head slightly to catch Teddy’s gaze. 

 

Even though he had no reason to, Teddy felt suddenly guilty. He shrugged, trying to brush off the feeling. “I don’t always go to those dinners, you know that. It’s mostly for you all to catch up.”

 

A line formed on James’ brow. He frowned and his tone brooked no argument. “Piss off, Teddy. You know you’re family. Why weren’t you there?”

 

Teddy shrugged again, deliberately evading James’ gaze and looking back into the dark fireplace. “I didn’t feel up to it tonight, I guess,” he said, fingers picking at the label peeling from the beer bottle.

 

James snorted and ran one hand through his hair, making it stick up in front. It was a lot longer than it had been the last time Teddy had seen him-- James had always kept his hair short in school. “Fat load of surprise there,” he muttered. “I don’t even remember the last time you came to dinner with us.”

 

He knew James was picking for a fight but he wasn't going to go for it. Irritated but trying not to show it, he tried to keep his tone neutral, “Well, how was tonight?”

 

James rolled over on the armchair until he was facing forward. He propped his elbow up on one of the arms and smashed one hand into his cheek. His gaze lowered to the fraying fabric and he started picking at the seams. “If you had been there, you might know already.”

 

Teddy rolled his eyes and took a sip of his beer. “Act your age, alright? I was busy, that’s why I couldn’t come tonight.” It made him uncomfortable, to lie, but he didn’t know what else to say.

 

Truth was, he had been feeling less and less comfortable at the Weasley family dinners. Not through any fault of theirs, but as he graduated out of Hogwarts and spent a lot more time away from them, it began to feel like he was intruding. He was never full of any news of other family members and barely had much to say about himself. They all lived scattered across the country, all the Weasley kids and their assorted progeny, some on different continents even. And yet, even so, they all saw each other much more often than Teddy saw any of them. 

 

How long had it been since he had seen Albus? Teddy thought it might have been before Albus went on that ridiculously long trip to South America, to study the magical properties of the flora of the Amazon River basin. Now that he thought about it, that was nearly a year ago now. And Lily had started apprenticing under Luna around the same time, so she was rarely home, which just left the rest of the kids, none of whom he was really close with.

 

James stared at him for a moment without speaking, dark eyes impenetrable in the low lamplight. Even without his glasses, he looked older than he had last time Teddy had seen him. Teddy wondered for a moment if James was going to call him out on the lie he thought he saw, but James looked too tired to pursue it.

 

“So what happened tonight that you wanted me to be there to witness?” Teddy asked, resolving to forget James’ dig at him. He’d go to the next family dinner, see everyone again, catch up and all that. He promised himself that much. “Lily bring back a murderous plant again?”

 

James lips curled slightly at the edges, as if he were remembering the same incident as Teddy, but he shook his head and lowered his eyes. His fingers picked at the seams of the armchair and pulled a bit of fluff from inside. He was stalling, as if he were reluctant to tell Teddy the truth. That slight knot of anxiety in Teddy’s chest seemed to tighten, because he couldn’t think of anything that James wouldn’t be able to tell him.

 

Then James sighed, seeming to steel himself. “I told them.” 

 

“Er, told who?” Teddy asked, thoroughly confused. 

 

James pinned him with a sharp stare, those dark eyes almost black in the barely-lit room. He looked suddenly his full age of 23, no longer the boy that Teddy had grown up with. “Everyone,” he said. “The whole bloody family.” 

 

He blinked, exhaustion bleeding into the edges of his expression and softening its sharpness. “I was hoping to tell you all in one go, so I wouldn’t have to go through it twice,” he said in a soft voice. “Everyone was there but you.”

 

Teddy inwardly grimaced, but didn’t know how to apologize for something that wasn’t even really a fault. “Well, what did you tell them?” he smiled slightly, meeting James’ gaze.

 

“I told them, that, er,” James cleared his throat and flicked his gaze away and then back again. His fingertips tapped at the armrest restlessly, but his voice was calm when he said, “I told them that I’m gay.”

 

Teddy felt his eyebrows rising up his forehead, and in his chest his heart seemed to skip a beat, though from relief or something else he couldn't tell. He wanted to grin at this news, since it wasn’t bad news at all. But James’ expression in the soft light didn’t look too amused, so he kept his face neutral. Perhaps it went badly, for some reason?

 

“Ah, that conversation,” he said reminiscently. He took a sip from his beer and looked up at the painting over his mantlepiece as if it was something fine he had never seen before. “I remember it well. How’d it go for you?”

 

James just sighed heavily and threw his hands in the air. “Fine, fine, all fine! You know them,” he said, making an annoyed face and Teddy laughed, despite himself. “They had to turn it into a massive conversation and everyone had to congratulate me on telling them, you know. They all kept going, ‘You’re so brave,’ ‘We’ll support you,’ and all that. I felt like I had just won some sort of award.” 

 

James snorted at the memory, but he sounded relieved just the same. The knot that had been tightening in Teddy’s chest loosened at the relaxed look on James’ face.

 

“And of course Al went on about how he always knew, there couldn’t have been any other reason I stayed so long in Quidditch when I was rubbish at it,” James said derisively, flicking the fluff from between his fingers until it floated gently down to the floor. “What a little shite. As if I wasn’t just trying to live up to dad and mum’s legacy and everything!” 

 

He looked irritated for a moment before he sighed in resignation. “And he was just as shite as I was and he actually finished out ‘till 7th year. Don’t think Ravenclaw or Slytherin has recovered from either of us. Alright, give it here, I admit defeat.” 

 

James motioned for the beer and Teddy leaned over to him. James’ hands were warm over his as Teddy passed the bottle over, watching as James took a big pull from it.

 

James swallowed, eyes fixed on the fireplace. He paused, licking his lips and twisting the bottle absently in his hands. “Yeah, so it took ages to finish up. They kept pulling out more food and drinks and mum kept hugging me. Embarrassing. It was fucking exhausting, I didn’t even get out of there until nearly midnight. I didn’t want to go home, just wanted to come yell at you for not being there to help me out a bit.”

 

Teddy laughed a little, accepting the bottle back from James and taking a swig. “Sorry, I don’t have any tips for you. That’s what it was like for me, too, except I had to explain what being bisexual meant.” He grimaced at the memory. “Some really odd questions for that one. Thought they were going to throw a party on the spot, but you all were too young and kept asking to go to bed.” He tipped the bottle in James’ direction in a little salute. “I forgot to thank you for that, to be honest.” 

 

James frowned. “I don’t even remember that. How old was I?” 

 

Teddy hummed, calculating in his head. It was so long ago he couldn’t remember the exact date, though everyone’s reactions were as clear as if he could still see their faces in front of him. “You were maybe… 9? I must have been in fifth year.” 

 

James shrugged, clearly unable to corroborate the story. He looked over at Teddy for a moment without speaking, then said, “I just grew up thinking you were always out. Like it wasn’t anything you had become, it was just, y’know, who you were, somehow. Something you didn’t even have to tell anyone, really. That’s why I--” he cleared his throat again and motioned for the beer bottle, which was almost empty now. Teddy handed it over. 

 

“Thanks,” James said, and took a sip, looking away. He rubbed his nose with one damp finger, scrunching his face up. 

 

He continued after a moment of silence. “To be honest, that’s why it took me so long to tell them.”

 

Teddy looked curiously at him. “Why?”

 

James looked over at him, and something of that vulnerability was back on his face. “I thought it was something you just knew. I thought you were supposed to know from when you were a kid, or something, but I didn’t know-- I wasn’t sure-- not for a long time. I'm still not 100% about it, but I think I'm as sure as I'm going to get.”

 

He shrugged, looking away from Teddy. “It’s not like I had a whole lot of role models in that respect, did I?” he laughed softly, but it didn’t sound quite like himself. James was quiet sometimes, sad occasionally, but not for long. “I just knew you, and there were one or two people in my year that were out at school.”

 

Teddy shook his head, trying to capture back some of those uncertain feelings from before he had come out. Honestly, it had been the worst time of his life, always looking over his shoulder when he thought someone could tell, and feeling ashamed every time he looked at another boy and thought about wanting to kiss him. Most of all, the confusion about how he wanted to kiss girls, too, and there was no way he could want to do both, right?

 

He couldn’t imagine how it must have been for James, son of a celebrity and a hero, with the pressure of all of their legacies to bear. 

 

“Sometimes you just know, and sometimes it takes longer to realize. I was kind of lucky, I guess. I knew I liked everyone when I was younger, it just took me until then to realize I really _liked_ everyone, like that. It took me time to realize what it meant. That it was alright to like both.”

 

James smiled crookedly. “Yeah, lucky. They kept saying stuff to me tonight, y’know, about how proud they were of me and how brave I was to tell them. But I don’t feel really brave, or anything. I feel stupid, for not realizing it earlier.”

 

“You are brave, James,” Teddy said immediately, fully sincere. James looked up at him and for a moment he looked so young, heart open on his face. It broke Teddy’s heart a little to see James look so downtrodden about something he should be happy about. 

 

“So brave,” he repeated. “The bravest.” 

 

James narrowed his eyes at him.

 

“Honestly, you’re my hero, James,” he said, voice wavering just the slightest in order to keep from laughing. Teddy clasped his hands together and pressed them under his chin, like he was praying. He made his eyes bigger and fluttered the lashes, and a beat passed in silence as James stared at him.

 

James’ upset expression broke and he barked out a surprised laugh that sounded somewhere halfway between happy and annoyed. Teddy smiled, feeling glad that James was coming back to his usual self. James’ chest heaved with laughter for a moment before he regained his composure. He rolled his eyes and threw himself back in the chair. “Piss off, Lupin. You’re so full of shite.” 

 

Teddy grinned at him, and James smiled back. It was the first time he had looked fully relaxed since coming into the flat, and warmth spread through Teddy’s chest at the look. Sometimes he thought he had forgotten how to be friends with James, like their time apart would change something fundamental in their relationship. But the ease had come back, and they had slipped naturally back into their friendship like they had never been apart. 

 

“It’s hard at first to feel okay about it. It took me time, too. But don’t worry too much about it, alright?” Teddy said. “And I’m here, if you have any questions about the big gay world out there or you want to explore.”

 

James grinned, and he seemed right back to his usual self. “Thanks, Teddy. I might take you up on that.” 

 

Teddy wanted to reach out and touch James’ hand or give him a hug, but he didn’t know how to ask or if he should just do it. Sometimes it seemed too far for their friendship to go, another invisible line that he came crashing up against, not knowing what was right, how much was appropriate. It was the same feeling he got whenever he went over to the Weasley family dinners. He never knew how far he was allowed to go, how much love he was allowed to ask for. 

 

So instead he just stood and stretched, taking the bottle from James’ fingers and finishing it, despite James’ yelp of discontent.

 

“Anyway, I’m knackered. I’m going to head to bed soon. You want to stay here or head home?” Teddy looked at the clock. Past two o’clock, almost three. 

 

James seemed to consider it for a second before he shook his head. Already his head was starting to tilt towards the arm of the chair, clearly exhausted. “I’m just gonna kip here, alright?”

 

“Alright,” Teddy agreed, heading over towards his bedroom. “Move over to the couch, would you?” 

 

“Yeah, yeah, I will,” James said. Right before Teddy started to close the door to his room, James called out to him. 

 

Teddy turned back. “Yeah?”

 

James smiled at him, and in the dimming light he looked like all dark eyes and freckles. Those high cheekbones sent shadows across his face, until he looked a bit like a Greek god carved of stone. Teddy thought of all the boys he had met, and instantly knew they would love James. Fit, smart, and just enough of a troublemaker behind that innocent face. Even without the gilded shadow of his father’s fame that would guarantee him the best of the pull, in the Muggle world too he’d be a golden catch. 

 

“Thanks, Teddy,” James said softly. 

 

“G’night, Jamie,” he said, and last he saw, James was getting up and heading over to lie down on the couch, summoning blankets from the wooden chest in the corner of the flat.

 

He didn’t hear James’ answer. 

 

\--

 

By the time Teddy woke up the next morning, James had gone. He would have almost forgotten that James had even been there had it not been for the neat pile of blankets stacked at the end of his couch. They caught his eye as he stumbled past them on the way towards the toilet, and he frowned at them for a moment before continuing on. It was far too early in the morning to be thinking about anything but breakfast and perhaps another nap. 

 

When Teddy came out of the bathroom, hair still wet from the shower and now marginally more awake, he trudged towards the couch and picked up the piece of paper left on top of the blankets.

 

When it touched his skin, it flicked itself up into the air and James’ voice spoke from it, gravelly with the morning. He had obviously woken up far earlier than Teddy, and he never had been much of a morning person. “Thanks, Teds. Come over for dinner tonight at mine. See you at 7.” 

 

With a tiny burst of flame, the paper burnt itself up, leaving behind only a tiny puff of smoke. 

 

Teddy groaned, running a hand through his thick blue hair and making it stand on end. It seemed as if James was going to make up for the months without contact as soon as possible. Of course, as soon as James decided on something, he went through with it. That hadn’t changed.

 

 _7PM tonight,_ he thought. Did he already have plans? Probably not, knowing how shite his friends were at planning, so he had no excuse this time not to go. 

 

“Alright, alright,” he muttered and headed into the kitchen for some breakfast and to wake up fully, he hoped. It wouldn't be that bad to see James again. Already he felt a little more excited for the day, and even though he knew it would throw off his schedule, and he had a gallery opening coming up soon, it would go by quickly. 

 

\--

 

When James had said ‘dinner’ Teddy thought he might mean actual dinner, but it was obvious from the outset that James had other plans. When Teddy rang the bell and James opened the door to his student flat in a clean pair of dark jeans and a black oxford, not his traditional evening attire of sweatpants and whatever shirt was lying closest to him, Teddy knew they weren’t staying in.

 

Before James could say a word, Teddy hefted the bottle of wine he was carrying and said, “Let me just go put this away and then we can go, alright?” 

 

James closed his mouth and nodded, clearly a bit thrown, but turned and motioned Teddy inside. James headed down the cramped hallway and pointed towards the flat’s kitchen with one hand. “Be sure to leave it in my cabinet,” he called as he disappeared into his own room at the end of the hall. “If you don’t, Alastair is sure to take it next time he goes out and I’m sick of supporting his descent into drink.”

 

Teddy _hmmed_ as he ducked inside the (equally) cramped kitchen. It was actually clean this time, no lingering smells or dubious boxes of takeaway curry sitting on the countertop, which meant Alastair had cleaned or James had bothered with a cleaning spell for once.

 

“Where is the infamous flatmate tonight, anyway?” Teddy called back as he opened up James’ cabinet and put the wine on a free spot on the lower shelf. He smiled to himself when the only other food in there was a lone box of PG Tips and an unopened kilo of rice. James had inherited quite a few of the Weasley family traits, but being a good cook was not one of them. He probably lived off of takeaway and whatever Molly managed to shove into his hands after every family dinner. 

 

“Oh, I dunno, probably the library working on that massive PhD thesis of his. If not, then he’s probably at one of the pubs getting smashed,” James’ voice grew closer and he rounded the doorway to the kitchen a moment later. He had his jacket on, hands balled up into his pockets, clearly nervous but trying valiantly to hide it. 

 

Teddy tilted his head and looked at him, trying to catch James’ eye and failing. Some of the unease that was leaking from James seemed to seep into him and made his stomach clench. He tried to keep it from his expression. “You alright, Jamie?” he asked, crossing the kitchen towards him.

 

“I’m fine, fine-- good. Just hungry,” James said, shrugging slightly. After a moment’s pause where Teddy just looked at him, he raised his eyebrows and smiled, continuing in a more confident tone: “Let’s go.” 

 

He headed towards the door without waiting for a confirmation and Teddy followed, pushing his hands into his pockets and letting out a deep breath. If James didn’t want to talk about it, then he wouldn’t, and Teddy had no need to press him. He’d find out soon enough.

 

\--

 

Which is how he found himself in Soho, standing outside a Muggle gay bar, the sounds of a Friday night in London all about him. James was humming next to him with a kind of contained nervousness. They had been standing there for almost five minutes and Teddy was beginning to think they might never go in, which to be honest would be his favorite option at this point. The music from the bar was deafening even down the street, and he was getting less and less enthusiastic about this plan the longer it took to implement it. They hadn’t even stopped for dinner, and Teddy’s stomach was already starting to protest.

 

Teddy looked up at the night sky gone violet in the ambient light rising from the streets, and then over at James. He really wanted to go back to his flat, just throw together some food and have a couple of pints, relax, but he couldn’t. James was staring at the bar with a set expression on his face, as if it had challenged him to a fight and he was deciding the best way to beat it. 

 

James took a big breath and straightened his shoulders, shaking off his nervousness in a second. He turned and smiled at Teddy, and all at once he looked confident, as if the past five minutes hadn’t happened. The glow from the streetlights caught the sharp angle of his cheekbones and made his eyes bright in excitement. 

 

“Alright, let’s go,” James said, and strode over to the entrance of the bar without another beat. 

 

Teddy followed, a little bit more slowly, so by the time he got inside and up to the bar, James was already motioning at the bartender for a couple of pints. Teddy squashed himself next to James at the crowded bar. The man on the other side of him gave Teddy a dirty look, eyes roving over him for a moment as if he were something low and dirty. A ripple of irritation went sharply up Teddy’s spine and he had to hold himself still for a moment before he opened his mouth and said something sure to get him into a fight. 

 

Instead, Teddy forced himself to give the man a half smile in apology and tried to keep his attitude steady when the man just snorted and looked away, dismissive. Inside the bar, the music was pounding so loud he could feel it in his chest and Teddy was already thinking longingly of his bed.

 

 _I’m here for James,_ he reminded himself, clenching his jaw, _He is going to have a good first night out._

 

Teddy leaned in close to James’ ear, so close to his neck that he could smell the low musk of his cologne. “What did you get me?” 

 

James whipped around and looked up to him in confusion, a couple of fivers in his hand. “What?” he yelled back, their faces so close Teddy almost leaned back until he remembered he had no room for that.

 

Teddy just shook his head, not even thinking it was worth it to try to explain over the loud music. He watched as the bartender poured a couple of drinks down the bar, hands working efficiently over the bottles of vodka and gin, eyes fully trained on his work. James had turned around to watch as well, and Teddy was unsure as to whether or not it was nervousness that didn’t allow him to look at anything else around him, or simply fascination with the way that Muggles did everything by hand. 

 

At last, the bartender made their way over to them and yelled, “What would you like?” 

 

James hesitated a moment and Teddy leaned in before the bartender could head off to some other clients. “Two Pilsner Urquells and two shots of Famous Grouse.” 

 

James shot him an annoyed look and Teddy smiled cheekily in response. He pushed James’ hand back, ignoring his confusion, and pulled out a couple of Muggle bills to cover the cost.

 

“Teddy, what are you doing?” James asked, leaning in close to talk. His breath brushed over Teddy’s ear in a way that felt too intimate for some reason and Teddy felt his cheeks flush with warmth in response. “I should buy the first round since you’re doing me a favor coming out with me my first night.”

 

Teddy kept his eyes firmly ahead as he shrugged and stared at the shot glasses the bartender had set in front of them. It was only then that he realized how close he and James were pressed up against each other at the crowded bar. 

 

 _We’ve known each other for ages,_ he thought, _nothing has changed just because he’s suddenly available,_ Teddy reminded himself, trying to keep his face and his voice steady. 

 

“It’s _because_ it’s your first night out that you get a couple of free rounds on me. That’s how it works. Free drinks for coming out to your family, your friends, everyone.” Teddy, turned out to look at the rest of the bar and beginning to scan for prospective dates, just smiled. “It’s just a couple of drinks, Jamie. Just something to make you a little more comfortable.”

 

James grumbled from next to him, clearly disgruntled, but watched as their pints were pulled without any more arguments. He lifted one of the shots up and handed it to Teddy, and then picked up his own. When Teddy saluted with his glass, James tapped his lightly on the edge of his and smiled. Even in the crap lighting, Teddy could see a slight shake in the corner of James’ smile and he felt his heart twist in sympathy.

 

“Good luck, and to all the hot men in your future,” Teddy said, grinning slyly as their shots clinked together.

 

“To all the hot men,” he agreed, and then James laughed, throwing his head back, grinning hard at Teddy. In the lowered lights of the bar, his auburn hair seemed to glow red and gold, and his dark eyes were shadowed, though his smile was bright. He lifted the glass to his lips and swallowed the amber liquid down.

 

Teddy threw back his shot as well, and swallowed around the fire in his throat. Warmth spread down into him and settled in his stomach, and for a moment he seemed separated from the sounds and movements of the bar, as if isolated. And then the beat of the music grabbed him again and suddenly the sounds and sights of the bar seemed to surround him and bring him to the present.

 

Dropping the shot glass back onto the bar, he caught the bartender’s eye and indicated for another, ready for this night to end and simultaneously ready for it to be several times more fun. If he was going to be here to introduce and fob James off onto the community at large, he was going to get drunk and ready. It was going to be _fun._

 

James was looking out into the crowd that had started to filter into the bar. The low lights made his expression unreadable, but Teddy could tell from the set of his shoulders and the way he leaned against the bar how uncomfortable he was. 

 

He leaned in and nudged James with his shoulder until he looked around. 

 

Teddy smiled, starting to feel the warmth and relaxation that the shot of whisky had infused into him. “Don’t worry. They’ll love you, Jamie.”

 

James stared back at him without speaking, then those dark eyes were shadowed for a moment by equally dark lashes, and he was looking away and grinning. It was unmistakably the grin James used to use right before he got himself into trouble at Hogwarts, the kind of expression Teddy knew meant James was ready to make a right nuisance of himself. Teddy laughed, feeling his reticence slip away and he suddenly knew tonight was going to be a good night.

 

Picking up the new shots the bartender had just put on the bar, James handed one to Teddy. “To a guy worth fighting for,” he said, and clinked their shot glasses together lightly. 

 

Teddy laughed at the reference. “Agreed. Let’s find you a Li Shang.” He threw back his shot and tried not to grimace when it burned its way down his throat, trailing warmth in its wake. Already, he could feel his skin flush and tension starting to bleed from him, and he blinked at the bright lights behind the bar. 

 

“If only. I didn't know I was gay back then but every scene of him shirtless.... It all makes sense. I definitely recognize his perfection now.” 

 

“Your ideal is a fictional man? James,” Teddy looked at him meaningfully, trying to be serious, “You're never going to find a man as fit as that here.”

 

James looked him up and down in a flirtatious way that made Teddy flush, then he smirked. “We’ll just have to get down to--”

 

“Don't!” Teddy laughed as he interrupted, trying to ignore the strange sense that James’ look had generated in his chest, “Don't start with that!”

 

James was the only one of the Potter children who had been interested in Muggles beyond a cursory culture lesson from Aunt Hermione. Teddy had grown up half in it, with his late grandfather's extended family all being Muggles, and it always made him laugh when James came out with another random reference that no one else in his family would have really understood.

 

Instead of replying, James threw back his shot and dropped the glass back on the bar with a cough. “Merlin, that stuff is awful,” he groaned, and laughed when Teddy just nudged him and called him a snob.

 

“‘M’not a snob, you prat,” James said, thumping Teddy on the chest with one hand, but he was smiling. 

 

They looked out into the crowd at the bar, grown considerably already. Men were packed in at tables in the back, and crowded along the front wall, holding glasses and laughing together in voices that couldn’t be heard over the music. 

 

Teddy nudged James from behind and they moved away from the bar, carrying their pints with them. As they headed toward the tables in the back, Teddy noticed the eyes that tracked them across the room. Men leaned in close to talk and more than one turned his head to follow the object of their interest. Strangely, he felt himself catching himself up to James’ stride and pressing in close behind, directing James over to a table with a hand on his shoulder.

 

When they had found an open spot at a table he had made himself take a step back and stand on the other side, ignoring James’ momentary look of confusion. He wasn’t James’ brother nor his boyfriend, and he couldn’t-- _shouldn’t want to_ \-- protect him from anyone.

 

“Did you see all that?” he asked.

 

James raised his eyebrows at him in question as he swallowed his lager. “What?”

 

“All the guys checking you out.”

 

James snorted, but Teddy could see his cheeks burn pink. Another Weasley family trait that he had inherited, though on him the look was charming. Teddy swallowed, feeling his courage rise and all the strange ideas and feelings he had been having around James fade to the background. He was going to do this right. “Don't laugh, but I reckon you could pull someone really good tonight.”

 

Something mischievous glittered in James’ dark eyes. “Like that one?” James asked, pointing with his chin at a man across the room. Teddy turned his head and looked straight at a good looking, dark haired man who was looking intently in their direction. _Fuck._

 

“Ah,” he muttered, turning away as quickly as he could, “maybe not that one.” 

 

“Why not?” James asked absently, eyes still trained on the man as he looked him up and down. “He’s hot.”

 

“Yes, I know. He's also my friend’s e--” Teddy started to say, keeping his eyes well away from where James was staring.

 

“Shh, Teddy, be quiet. He's coming over here,” James said. There was just a slight note of nervousness in his voice, but he straightened up and then slouched nonchalantly back on the table, arranging himself around his drink.

 

Teddy looked round again, feeling his stomach twist in discomfort. The man was, indeed, coming over, his dark eyes trained on James as he snaked his way through the tables. He had barely looked over at Teddy which was a comfort, at least, but a small one. 

 

Teddy took a large gulp of lager and tried to ignore the dread that was making it hard to swallow his drink. This was going to happen regardless of whether Teddy wanted it to or not, so he was going to try-- _try_ \-- to be cordial.

 

James rubbed a hand through his hair self consciously, disheveling it until it looked artfully tousled. He was staring in the direction of the man as if he couldn't quite believe it was happening. With the high color of his cheeks and the way his messy hair fell over his ears, he looked like he had just been thoroughly snogged. 

 

 _Or fucked,_ Teddy thought suddenly with a jolt. It was such a surprising thought he was thrown off balance and he barely heard the familiar voice from next to him. 

 

“Hello.” 

 

Teddy turned around to see the man at their table, glass in hand and smile on his face. 

 

James smiled back, and put his hand out to shake. Teddy wanted to laugh at the gesture, it was so thoroughly out of place at a bar, though he thought it was sweet. The man took James’ hand with a slight look of surprise, which he quickly masked as he shook.

 

“I'm James.” 

 

“Alex,” he replied, then spared a look for Teddy. “Hi Theo.” His tone was not exactly friendly, though Teddy knew if they had been alone, Alex would have already gone straight for the jugular.

 

Teddy grimaced out a smile and tried to keep his shoulders from making their way up his ears. He could tell James was staring at him, and had they been among other company, would already have been laughing, mouthing ‘Theo? Really?’

 

Why he hadn't changed his appearance for their first night out, he had no idea, and he was regretting it now. Of course they'd run into someone he knew, and of course it would be someone like Alex. Just his luck. 

 

“Hello,” he gritted out. To reward himself for this civil exchange, he took another large sip of his drink and tried to ignore Alex’s existence completely. He stared over James’ shoulder at a pair of guys who were already making out against the back wall, their bodies lost in the pulsing light of the bar.

 

James was looking between them with a slight furrow in his brow, clearly concerned. He opened his mouth to ask, but Alex cut across him.

 

“So, want to dance?” 

 

“Er--” James shot a look at Teddy. 

 

He didn't return James’ gaze, trying to remain impassive and let James make his own decisions. Even though the idea of them dancing made something hard twist in his gut. It was irrational and he didn’t have the right to stop him. It wasn’t as if Alex were bad, per se, just… well, James wanted to dance with a hot guy, and Alex fit that bill, in a sense.

 

Alex was watching them both closely, and in the pause, he moved closer to put a hand on James’ shoulder, his dark eyes intent upon him. “It'll be fun, come on,” he said in a low voice, tilting his head in invitation to the dance floor. 

 

James’ expression was unreadable as he seemed to consider, his eyes flicking to Teddy again, who looked away. Alex’s confident expression seem to crumple just a little, and James seemed just about to speak when someone interrupted.

 

A hand landed on Teddy’s shoulder and suddenly someone was leaning over his shoulder, booming into his ear. “Hey! Theo! You came out tonight!”

 

James and Alex looked over in surprise at the intrusion, the tense moment broken unexpectedly by this arrival. Both looked equally bewildered, though Teddy knew it was probably for entirely different reasons. He couldn’t help but be a little glad about the glimpse he caught of the suddenly uncomfortable look on Alex’s face.

 

The body that pressed into Teddy’s was heavy as hell and the person breathed loudly in his ear as they spoke. Those two things together, it could really only be one person, Teddy thought, smiling to himself as relief spread through him. Really, there was no one better at defusing a situation, and to be honest, he needed an ally.

 

“Hey Tom,” he said, turning around to give his friend a quick embrace. 

 

Tom hugged him close with two thick arms, Teddy’s face squeezed up against his friend’s considerable chest. Teddy tried to hug him back but his arms seemed trapped at his sides he couldn’t quite make them reach around Tom’s torso. Finally, Tom released him and set him back half a pace, smiling at him. 

 

Tom squeezed his shoulder in and his loud voice boomed over the music. “Theo, you never come out anymore! Where the hell have you been, you tosser?” 

 

Teddy laughed, looking up into the clean-shaven face of his friend who was still in the remnants of a tight fitting suit from his job as a banker in the City. Tall as he himself was, Tom still loomed over him by 10 centimeters at least, and with his normally grizzled face, looked intimidating to anyone shorter than him, which was everyone. 

 

“Painting, drinking, seeing the sights, meeting new people,” Teddy said, emphasizing the last one but not looking at James or Alex. He took a sip of his drink and offered it to Tom, who was looking back at him with a sharp look in his eyes.

 

“Some of my favorite activities,” he replied amiably. Tom accepted the proffered drink and took several big gulps out of it until the contents were almost gone, and when he was done, dropped the empty pint glass onto the table in front of them with a _clink._

 

James and Alex just stared at it, then up at him. 

 

Incredibly tall, with arms thick with muscle, Tom looked like a Michelangelo statue come to life, the most notable difference being only that he was clad in the latest Tom Ford suit. Whenever Tom cleaned up, Teddy was always reminded of exactly why he had had such a huge crush on him before they became friends.

 

“Hi Alex.” Tom said in a neutral tone and smiled, genuine and full. Nothing in his manner betrayed the amount of history between the two. His arm still around Teddy’s shoulder and he seemed totally at ease with himself. Even so, there was something of the cutthroat banker in his look as his blue eyes trained fully on Alex. 

 

“Tom,” Alex replied, shifting awkwardly from foot to foot. He looked over at James for some sort of assistance, but James was just holding his drink and looking completely lost for words. He stared at Tom as if he had never seen anything like him before. Teddy wondered for a moment if Tom was just James’ type. 

 

 _Tall, muscled, incredibly smart, nice_ \-- he would be a good choice for James, though something still unsettled Teddy about the idea. 

 

There was an unexpectedly long pause that no one seemed able to break. The atmosphere of discomfort that had dissipated upon Tom’s arrival seemed to return with a vengeance, and the only one who seemed totally unaffected was Tom himself.

 

After a moment of silence, Tom looked around. “And who’s this? Your new man, Teds?” Tom stuck out a hand and James shook it, still looking slightly overwhelmed. Tom looked him up and down with a grin, eyes lingering on the spread of freckles on James’ cheeks and his dark eyes. “You’re _gorgeous_ ,” he said emphatically, “What’s your name?”

 

“James.” He didn’t deny Tom’s assumption .A grin spread across his cheeks in response to the infectious smile, and Tom whistled appreciatively. 

 

“That’s the smile I was looking for, love,” Tom raised his eyebrows at him and looked over at Teddy. “You have good taste, Theo. I dunno where you found him, but you should take me there sometime. Do you have a brother?” he jokingly asked James.

 

“Unfortunately,” James replied in a low voice that Teddy didn’t think was totally feigned, but Tom laughed, unaware, and clapped Teddy on the shoulder. 

 

“Alright, lads, this calls for another round. Someone finally managed to get our favorite hermit out from his flat to come drinking with us, and he’s a good-looking one as well! Who knew any of them still existed? I’m happy for you, Theo.” Tom indicated towards the bar with his head. “Let’s go, lads. I’ll go for the first round but I can’t carry them all by myself. I’ll need your hands, if you would assist me.”

 

Teddy was glad for the excuse to get away and James, he could feel, was right behind him. When they made it to the bar, Tom splitting the waves of people with his sheer bulk, Teddy looked back at their abandoned table. There were already people taking over their spots, and Alex had disappeared into the crowd. An unexpected surge of relief made him sigh, the sound lost under the pulsing music.

 

“What’ll you have?” Tom asked the pair of them as he waved at the bartender. “Johnny! How are you?” He leaned over the bar and clapped hands with the bartender, who he seemed to know, like he seemed to know everyone.

 

Teddy felt James press up against his back and he froze, momentarily disarmed by the slight musk of James’ cologne. Teddy could feel the warmth of him as he moved closer, his voice right in Teddy’s ear as he spoke. It felt unexpectedly intimate, James’ hands on his shoulders and breath soft over Teddy’s skin. They had been physically close as children if not as much so as adults, so it should have been normal, but it felt so far from that.

 

 _Normal,_ he reminded himself, just as James slid his arm around the front of Teddy’s chest and pressed fully up against him, and he forgot everything-- whatever he was thinking about. His heart was slamming in his chest and he just hoped that James couldn’t feel it.

 

“So how long have we been dating, _Theo_?” James asked in a low voice, clearly amused. James’ hand slid down Teddy’s chest in a long arc that sent heat pooling in places Teddy didn’t know if it should be pooling. It was a joke, he knew, but he wasn’t really in the mood for joking when his skin felt too tight and his cheeks burned. “I didn’t know I had a boyfriend already. Wow, my first night out, even. I’m amazingly fast.” His voice seemed to be going right into Teddy’s ear and it made him want to shiver. 

 

Determined not to be outdone, Teddy reached around and grabbed James’ thigh. He squeezed it and could hear James’ breath hitch in surprise as he knocked his chin against Teddy’s shoulder. Teddy had to be buzzed already if the thought that James was feeling something of the same excitement made his knees feel a little weak. 

 

“You didn’t know?” he asked, trying to sound innocent but wanting to push back into the warmth of James’ body. He looked over his shoulder at James, whose eyes were wide with surprise. Their noses were almost touching. “It’s not just one day. We’ve been dating for ages. Years.” 

 

James pulled him in closer, fingers digging into Teddy’s chest in a way that made heat lick up Teddy’s spine. He could feel James’ hair lightly brush against his neck as James laughed softly, and his fingers tightened reflexively around James’ thigh, digging into the denim.

 

James’ voice was low and it rumbled through Teddy’s back from where they were pressed together. “Thanks for reminding me. I always forget that about us, _Theo_. But if we’ve been dating for so long, why haven’t we kissed yet? I feel a little neglected.” James’ eyes were shadowed by the fall of the bar’s lights, and his expression was hard to read when Teddy looked over. They were incredibly close together, their faces only centimeters apart. For some reason. Teddy felt like his chest was going to burst, his heart was beating so quickly.

 

There was no way that James knew what he was really doing to Teddy, or he would have stopped already, taken a step back. He had to be joking, with the famed Potter smile curling the edge of his lips and crinkling the corners of his eyes. Teddy couldn’t allow himself to take it seriously, even as James’ eyes tracked down his face and over his lips in a way that from any other person, Teddy would take as a sure sign that they wanted to be kissed.

 

James bit his lip, pinkening it, and Teddy felt something like terror or excitement clench in his throat. They were staring at each other, neither moving, neither seeming to breathe. Their faces were just close enough that it would be so easy to lean closer and kiss him. What should have surprised him was how a curl of pleasure went through him at the idea, as if he had been wanting to do it for a long time and it was finally happening.

 

“Do you--?” he started to ask, his voice coming out far throatier than he remembered it being just minutes before.

 

“Hate to interrupt, but you’re going to have to wait on that snogging to help me carry these,” a voice sounded from in front of Teddy, and his free hand was suddenly full of a cold pint glass that shocked him back into reality. 

 

He hastily let go of James’ leg, feeling embarrassed and somehow guilty, as if caught in the act of something intimate. He cleared his throat and air rushed back into his lungs. His heartbeat was pounding in his ears. It felt like he had been holding his breath for the long moments they had been looking at each other.

 

James, however, accepted the other glass of lager with his free hand and seemed totally unembarrassed by Tom’s interruption. He lifted his arm from Teddy’s shoulder to take a sip of beer and when he looked back up, he looked as if nothing out of the norm had gone on between them.

 

“Ta. That’s a good choice,” he said to Tom, then caught Teddy staring at him. “What?”

 

Teddy looked quickly away, shaking his head. “Nothing.”

 

Of course he was imagining things; there was no way James had been leaning in like that to kiss Teddy. He was just drunk and fooling around. Teddy was drunker than he thought if he actually believed James could be interested in him like that. Just because James had come out didn't mean he was suddenly interested in Teddy. 

 

But once they had followed Tom across the bar and settled in at another free space, James laid his arm around Teddy’s shoulders again and leaned up against him as if they hadn’t been interrupted. As if they were actually dating. It was all Teddy could do to keep a calm face and ignore the way James’ body pressing into him made him want to curl into the warmth and weight of him as if this were real. 

 

It would be easy to tell Tom they weren’t really dating, that it was all just a joke, or whatever this whole thing was to James. But James seemed comfortable next to him, hooking a finger into the collar of Teddy’s shirt and laughing at something Tom was saying. He was the one who had the most to gain from telling Tom; he was the one who wanted to find someone to dance with tonight. To be honest, Teddy couldn’t understand why he was going through with the charade. 

 

“James,” Teddy said, a warning under his words. His eyes flickered down to where James’ arm was wrapped around him, and back up to James’ smiling face. He wondered if he could discreetly elbow James in the stomach, but they weren’t in the right position for him to do it without Tom noticing.

 

James just looked innocently at him as he moved in closer, his fingers squeezing Teddy’s shoulder. “Yes?” he asked, tilting his head in a way that made Teddy’s hackles rise, as he recognized it instinctively. 

 

James _was_ joking. And now it was as if he had issued a challenge and was waiting to see how far Teddy would let this go before calling it off. There was no way that Teddy was going to back down from it. Screw telling Tom the truth and employing his help to try to find James a hot man to dance with tonight. If James thought he was going to back down from an arm around his shoulders, he was going to find out how wrong he really was. 

 

“Nevermind.” Teddy smiled disarmingly, and tilted his head in the exact same manner that James had. 

 

He felt a blaze of confidence as if the drinks had finally started to really hit him. Whatever game James thought he was playing, Teddy felt ready to win. If James wanted to play with a Gryffindor, he’d have to try a little harder than just putting his arm around him.

 

Teddy narrowed his eyes at him, unable to say any of it out loud but hoping James picked up on the challenge in his gaze. When James looked away, he slipped his free arm around James’ waist, hand sliding around his back and into the dip of his waist. James coughed, surprised, as Teddy slipped a thumb over the ridge of his hip and followed it down to hook into the waistband of his jeans. 

 

James shifted away for a moment before settling back against him. His hand tightened over Teddy’s shoulder. A tiny flicker of satisfaction went through Teddy at the renewed flush of color that had made its way over James’ cheeks, though he tried to hide it behind a game face.

 

“Teddy,” James muttered from the corner of his mouth, “what are you--”

 

“So now you've got to tell me how you two met,” Tom said, leaning in with interest plain on his face. Both looked over in surprise, as if they had forgotten he was there. “I would love to know where all the gorgeous men are hiding and how Theo found you.”

 

Teddy recovered first, brain working quickly to think of a cover story for them. The easiest thing to do was stick as close to the truth as possible so he wouldn't forget anything. 

 

“We met ages ago, really, but we didn't get together until pretty recently. We've known each other for years since our families are good friends.” He looked over and smiled at James. His head was starting to swim a little from the drinks which was probably why he went even further with the story, determined to rile James up.

 

“James here had a crush on me for ages--” James spluttered, clearly caught off guard and Teddy dug his fingers into his thigh, strangely glad that he wasn’t imagining the slight jump of surprise that followed. “--but he only told me recently. And it was only after loads of drinks and he was well pissed. How long ago about was that, love?”

 

James shot him a not entirely nice look and his voice quavered a little as if he were still unsettled. Teddy smothered a smirk. “I dunno, a month ago maybe? We both went on a bender and he didn’t even remember the next morning.” His hand slipped up to the back of Teddy’s neck and he started to knead the muscle there. “Wasn’t I a lovely surprise in your bed the next morning?” 

 

Teddy swallowed a gasp that was only half of shock, and he surreptitiously grabbed the edge of the table with his free hand. For some reason his knees felt a little weak at the touch. James’ hands were large and strong and the soothing way he massaged Teddy’s neck felt unexpectedly good against his skin. 

“Yeah,” he said as evenly as he could. His cheeks were starting to heat up and he was glad that his Metamorphmagus ability shielded it from showing up on his face. “Your skinny arse was a lovely surprise when I all I wanted to do was chuck up in the bin. But I liked the part of the morning when you reminded me exactly what happened the night before with hands-on examples. Excellent type of learning. Fully recommend.”

 

James’ fingers paused and dug into Teddy’s neck a little harder than normal, his eyes wide. Teddy took a swallow of his drink to hide his grin as Tom laughed uproariously from across the table, slapping it with a big hand. 

 

“God, Theo, you really go all out. That’s so much the world didn’t need to know, mate. Not much shame, this one,” he said in a confidential tone to James. “He tells me everything. There’s stories about him that I could tell you that would make your hair curl.”

 

An excited look spread over James’ face and he leaned in close, ignoring Teddy’s scoff. “Are you taking the piss? You’ve got to tell me everything. I’d love to hear more stories about him and his shameless side. He tries to hide it from me, I know, but I know that he definitely has a wicked side.”

 

“Oi! Don’t go spreading my secrets about like that,” Teddy protested, not liking this confab one bit as Tom opened his mouth to speak. He felt like his dignity was being attacked. “I have plenty of shame, alright?” 

 

“Ooh, feisty. You just don’t use it much apparently,” James shot back, grinning. 

 

Teddy narrowed his eyes at him, trying to ignore the thrill that went through him at the triumphant look on James’ face. “Piss off. You’re not any better about it than I am.”

 

It was James’ turn to protest, and he turned to look fully at Teddy, mock hurt on his face. “Bollocks! Don’t put me and you in the same box. I’m not shameless! Remember when you pretended to be the commentator, Shelly Leghorn, at the Qui-- f-football match and called the captain of the Hufflepuff team a massive bell-end who couldn’t fly a broom if he spe-- glued it to his hand?”

 

Teddy almost laughed at the memory, surprised that James remembered that incident which occurred during his first year at Hogwarts. “Maybe that was a little shameless. But remember when you sang a love ballad in just your pants outside the Headmistress’ window the night before exams and she almost bloody killed you because she thought you were an intruder?”

 

James’ jaw dropped. “How did you hear about _that_? That was my final year!”

 

“Lily wrote me about it. Everybody heard that story, about how McGonagall almost did a nut, made you clean all the suits of armor in the-- in school. Harry told me you had to stay into summer because there were so many.”

 

James muttered something unintelligibly, then straightened up and said in a cocky tone, “That was a special circumstance. McGonagall was just pissed because she couldn’t see my arse properly in the moonlight.”

 

Teddy barked out a laugh. “Cheeky. Alright, if you want a demonstration, I’ll be happy to give it to you.” Teddy waved in the direction of the dance floor, which was packed full of people well on their way to to being shamelessly plastered. Then he looked over and realized that most weren’t even properly dancing. Half of them were already making out intensely and the other half looked close enough to it. 

 

 _Hold on a second,_ he thought, feeling himself go cold and then abruptly hot, alarmed at what he had implied. All he had wanted was to get James on the dance floor where he was sure he’d do something to show off and prove he really was a bit shameless. But the challenge had already been issued, so Teddy took a deep breath and tried to look like his heart wasn’t beating madly in his chest.

 

“Ooh, a _hands-on_ demonstration,” Tom said, sounding far more amused than Teddy felt.

 

Honestly, he wasn’t sure whether he was more interested in James accepting the challenge or turning it down. They had gone wildly off of their original intention for tonight, which Teddy swore had been getting James a hot guy to make out with, not ignoring the one guy who had approached him and getting into a one-upmanship contest with his friend. 

 

James stared at Teddy for a moment without speaking, as if unable to decide whether he was being serious or not. Seeming to decide on the former, he finally said, “Fine!” 

 

He grabbed Teddy’s arm and started to pull him towards the dance floor without even looking back. Teddy let himself be pulled along behind James, strangely bewildered at the turn in events. He caught Tom’s eye before they disappeared into the crowd and Tom winked at him and waved them away. 

 

It felt like there was electricity crackling just underneath Teddy’s skin as he followed James through the crowd, his head spinning with the music that increased in intensity the closer they got to the DJ. It was hard for him to access his thoughts in the loud space and he could tell the drinks were mucking up his normal clear-headedness. They threaded through the mass of people, everyone ignoring them in favor of dancing drunkenly up against their partner or snogging them, their hands going places Teddy didn’t want to follow even in the flickering light. 

 

Everything had a surreal tone to it as James finally found a place in the crowd and stopped, the lights pulsing in bursts around them. There was almost no way this could be real, Teddy thought, watching as James turned and faced him, looking more serious than he had the entire night. There was something in his expression that looked almost unsure. James was frowning as he looked at Teddy without touching him and it made Teddy’s stomach drop. 

 

Teddy felt something very close to regret make him pause. What was he going to do, dare James to make out with him? What if he felt like he had to agree? That was hardly fair.

 

 _He’d probably do it anyways,_ a voice whispered in the back of his mind. A guilty thrill ran up the back of his spine at the idea but he quashed it as thoroughly as he could. Instead, he just looked at James for any guidance, trying to see if James had an idea of how this could go without overstepping some sort of line.

 

“Well?” James asked expectantly, having to almost yell over the music. His eyes looked bright with challenge even in the uneven light. 

 

Teddy just looked at him, having forgotten how he had ever danced with another human being, ever. The bass line was pulsing through his chest like an extra heartbeat as he wrapped his arms around James’ waist and pulled him in as close as he dared. Which was probably at least 8 centimeters more than everyone else thought was appropriate but, since Teddy was having trouble looking James in the face, was close enough. 

 

James lifted his arms and put them around Teddy’s neck and for a moment they just swayed there, off-beat. Then Teddy felt himself tightening his grip and pulling James in closer, until their chests were almost touching. This close, he could smell the low, spicy scent of James’ skin and felt the heat from his body begin to envelop him. His eyes flickered shut as he took a breath, so he could just ground himself and focus on those two things, but James shook him a little at the shoulder.

 

“Aren’t you supposed to be proving how shameless I am?” he asked, though he sounded a bit distracted himself. His fingers were curled into the hair at the nape of Teddy’s neck and he kept looking down at Teddy’s lips as he spoke, dark eyes intent on his mouth. 

 

Instead of responding, Teddy pulled James flush up against him with a hand at his lower back and slotted their legs together. This close, James had no choice but to follow Teddy’s lead as he moved them slowly, still off-beat, but their bodies matching each other and sending sparks of pleasure up his skin from wherever they touched. Teddy felt like he was going mad from how James felt so close to him and how it wasn’t enough, even this, which was so much farther than he thought he’d ever be able to go.

 

He had no idea what James was feeling or thinking with the smudge of his dark eyelashes making it hard to read his expression, but he wasn’t making any move to get away. So Teddy hooked a finger into the front of James’ jeans and pulled him in even more, until there was no space between them. Teddy could feel every bit of James against him and it should have surprised him to notice that James was getting hard, if he wasn’t having much of the same reaction himself. 

 

James gasped softly as they ground together, their faces close enough that Teddy could feel the intake of breath and Teddy bit his lip to keep himself from responding in kind. He had no idea why this felt so easy and good, why James wasn’t pulling away, where this was even going--

 

“Teddy…” James murmured in a low voice, and Teddy looked up, thinking he had done something wrong, but James wasn’t looking at him. 

 

His eyes were closed, lips parted, and Teddy felt a pull of attraction so strong he almost leaned in and kissed him right then. But he stopped himself just as he started to move, still unsure as to what James wanted. Instead, he closed his eyes as well and pressed their foreheads together, reminding himself not to do anything rash. 

 

James’ hand tightened over the nape of his neck as they moved against each other in the darkness. They were barely following the pulse of the music but it didn’t matter. Teddy felt like his every nerve ending was alight and every touch James gave him were magnified a thousand times over. He didn’t understand how James had looked so calm when Teddy felt like he was going mad from this mostly chaste dance. 

 

“James,” he started, thinking he wanted to ask a question but when he felt warm breath up against his lips, he opened his eyes. 

 

James was nuzzling in close and his nose bumped softly up against Teddy’s. He laughed quietly but didn’t move away, and he was so close he could have accidentally moved and they would be kissing. Prat that he surely was, he paused just over Teddy’s lips and flicked his eyes up to Teddy’s. 

 

They were so close it was impossible to properly see each other. If he could somehow focus, he probably would have been able to count the freckles on James’ cheeks, but he honestly didn’t give a fuck about that when James was hovering just a centimeter away, waiting or taunting him, or both. 

 

 _Time for the games to stop,_ he thought. 

 

Teddy slipped his hand from up from his waist to cup James’ jaw. James’ skin was flaming with warmth and just slightly rough with stubble as Teddy swiped over it with his thumb. James had stopped moving, just staring at him, and his breath was coming out in uneven bursts that Teddy could feel against his own chest as Teddy traced over his lips with a soft finger. 

 

Teddy blinked slowly, looking up to gauge James’ expression.

 

And in that moment’s hesitation, James murmured fiercely, “Dammit. Just kiss me already, Teddy.”

 

Teddy laughed breathlessly, and wanted to make a smart remark but couldn’t even speak. So instead he leaned in and brushed his lips over James’, just softly at first, in case of-- well, he didn’t even know what it might be in case of. Even that small touch was enough to send heat pooling through his veins and curling deep in his belly. His brain was starting to go fuzzy with arousal and he could only be happy that James, however, wasn’t as hesitant. He pulled Teddy in close and kissed him properly, fingers curling at the nape of Teddy’s neck and mouth hot on his.

 

Teddy felt like his knees had turned to water and he grasped at James’ shoulders to keep himself steady, sure that everything he had been feeling earlier had been nothing compared to this. Everything seemed to dim around them for a long moment as they kissed, his senses amplified to the point that every touch and slight sound seemed to go straight to his cock. It appeared to be the same way for James, who had to pull away to moan when Teddy decided to grind their hips together. 

 

“Merlin, Teddy, you can’t do that,” he said, breathing hard against Teddy’s mouth and something froze deep in Teddy’s gut for a moment before James continued, “At least not here.”

 

“You have another place in mind?” he asked, leaning in to nip at James’ lips for almost giving him a bloody heart attack. 

 

James seemed to get distracted for a moment by that and the kissing that followed, so that Teddy almost thought he forgot Teddy had spoken. But then James looked up and him and grinned. “Yours?” 

 

He barely waited for Teddy to nod in emphatic agreement before there was a sudden wrenching sensation in Teddy’s gut and they were Disapparating from right in the middle of the club. They came down with a loud pop in the middle of Teddy’s living room a moment later. 

 

The sudden change in place and sound made Teddy’s head spin wildly for a few long seconds and he blinked several times, trying to focus. There were a lot of good things to be said for Apparation as a means of transportation, but it was definitely a bit of a mood killer. 

 

James groaned and Teddy noticed he was holding Teddy’s shoulders tightly, eyes clenched shut. “That was a terrible idea. I hate doing that when I’m drunk. The worst vertigo.”

 

Teddy tried to laugh but his stomach needed another moment to settle fully as well so he kept his mouth shut. When the dizzying sensation for him had mostly passed, Teddy leaned in and kissed James’ cheek softly, affection blooming softly in his chest. “Feel better?” 

 

James opened his eyes and looked at him, his dark eyes looking like liquid ink in the one lamp Teddy had left on. “Only one kiss?” he asked, sounding disappointed. 

 

Teddy leaned his forehead towards James’ until they were touching, and closed his eyes. “You can have as many as you want, James. I am your boyfriend, you know,” he half-joked.

 

There was an excruciating pause where James didn’t say anything back and in the silence, Teddy felt like he was holding his breath, nerves on edge.

 

Then James kissed him again, softly this time and for a long time, before he pulled away and murmured against Teddy’s lips, “Yeah, you are. _And_ you're more fit than Li Shang.” 

 

He opened his eyes and looked at Teddy with a grin on his face. “Hey, you know that the story you told Tom about us is true now.”

 

“Are you serious?” Teddy asked, and then realized James was right. “Merlin, we're such gits. We're never going to hear the end of it.” He sighed and then remembered something important. “Wait, are you saying you really have had a crush on me for ages and never told me?”

 

James’ cheeks flamed anew as if embarrassed, though he was suppressing a grin that suggested otherwise. “I meant more that we really did get drunk and snog madly. But that too, I suppose.”

 

Teddy smiled, feeling a wild sense of happiness imbue him at the thought that James had been secretly holding onto feelings for him, but mostly because it meant he was serious about this. He didn't want to be the only one who felt like whatever was happening between them was important. 

 

“Have you been carrying a torch for me?” he teased, trying to hide the relief from showing on his face.

 

“I’ve not been pining that badly for you, you great prat,” James protested, thumping Teddy lightly on the chest with his hand. His brown eyes glittered with affectionate laughter. “Don't get a fat head.”

 

Teddy laughed and leaned in to kiss James again, stopping just a centimeter away. He could feel the heat of James’ face as he hovered there, his arms wrapped tightly around James’ waist. Contentment spread warmly through Teddy as he breathed in his scent, watching as James’ eyelashes flickered as he blinked and looked up. 

 

Once he had caught James’ eye, he asked in as serious a tone as he could muster: “But there has been a bit of pining, right?”

 

James’ brow crinkled before he spoke, voice wavering with amusement. “Oi, shut up already, Teddy!” 

 

Then he pulled Teddy in close and kissed him, a smile still on the edge of his lips.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! You can show your appreciation for the author in a comment here or on [livejournal](http://hp-nextgen-fest.livejournal.com/104671.html).


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